The First Annual T.J. Sommers Memorial Softball Tournament took place on Saturday August 8, 2009. This tournament is a way to remember T.J. and his love for softball while also helping raise funds to pay for his funeral expenses and also for LifeBanc. LifeBanc is the organization which handled T.J.'s organ donation, something that was very important to him. Mike, along with the rest of his and T.J.'s softball team started planning this tournament within days of T.J.'s death and many, many people donated time, money and prayer to see this tournament come together in a truly amazing way.
The tournament was played at the Allerton Fields at Kent State where their team plays in the Thursday night league and where T.J., while diving to catch a fly ball on June 18, 2009 collided with another player. The collision caused severe head trauma and T.J. went home to heaven two days later.
I think at first everyone was unsure whether they even wanted to play softball again but it was quickly realized that is not what T.J. would have wanted. In fact, I think everyone agrees that T.J. would have truly loved that his team pulled together to set up a tournament, something he had wanted to do some day, too.
T.J's parents, Tim and Mary Sommers are like second parents to Mike and I. Uncle Tim married us and they have always been here for us whenever we needed anything. When Mike's mom passed away when he was 8 years old he spent about half of every week at Tim and Mary's house, getting off the bus with T.J. and spending nights there. This family, including T.J.'s sister Shana and her family, husband Jeremy and boys Hunter and Sawyer, and another boy on the way :) mean the world to us.
At noon on Saturday there was a short memorial service for T.J.Ron Kilchenman, a long-time friend of the family, opened up with information about the tournament. Mike followed with more information about how the tournament came about. Tim took some time to share T.J.'s story and shared a heart-felt thanks to everyone who sponsored, donated time and attended the tournament.
There was a tent set up for a lunch stand which our friend and fellow high-school graduate of T.J.'s, Joanna, ran. She did an absolutely amazing job at getting everything together on such short notice. Her heart for service and love of the Lord are obvious from the moment you meet her. The tent also held tables where there was a raffle, t-shirts for sale, and a jewelery table all helping to raise money for the tournament. There was also a LifeBanc table where people could get information about organ donation and sign up to be on the organ donor list. Tim and Mary's favorite restaurant, Chili's, also stepped up and had a stand where they sold food - sliders, chips, and salsa - to also help raise money.
Uncle Mike and Aunt Ruby (parents to Mikey and Josh) came all the way from Florida to attend the tournament!
Don't we look snazzy in our matching shirts? Mike would say, "No." ;)
I would like to take a minute and share about just how amazing watching this tournament come together has been. As I entered the registration and donation information there were many afternoons I would sit here at the desk and cry tears of thankfulness and amazement at how people stepped up and gave their time and money for this to happen. I truly believe I saw the overflow of God's love from people and I am honored and humbled to be a witness to that.
If you would like to know more about the tournament or watch T.J.'s slide show please follow this link: T.J. Sommers Memorial Softball Tournament. There will be updated information in the weeks to come. Please consider joining us next year as Tim and Mary seek to raise funds for more worthy causes in T.J.'s memory.
Comments
Post a Comment